What are debits and credits? How are debits and credits used to record business transactions?  Why do accountants debit asset accounts to increase them but credit liability accounts to increase them? Why do accountants debit expenses to increase them but credit revenues to increase them?

A debit is an asset or increase in cash (left column). Debits normally increase assets and decrease liabilities and credits normally decrease assets and increase liabilities. A credit is a decrease in cash (right column). Debits and credits are used to record business transactions by the type of account that is used. Expense and assets are increased on the debit or left side and liability equity and revenue accounts are increased on the credit side. Every transaction must be balanced and in order to accomplish this, a transaction must be posted to an account on the left side as well as to an account on the right side…